The Duke's Bride (13 page)

“I suppose marrying him as quick as possible is the
best way to handle things,” Jane said, holding Agatha’s hand. “But the gossip
will be endless. At the Pump Room…” She bit her lip to keep from crying. “I
tried to hold my head high because of last night and the other gossip about an
heir, but this…well, this was horrible, Agatha. Simply horrible.”

Agatha wrapped a plump arm around Jane and held her
tight. “Those people are jealous, dear. Jealous that you are a duchess. They
were only waiting for something in your life to go wrong, and then they
pounced. It’s the way of the world sometimes. I don’t like it, but there it is.”

Jane took in a shuddering breath. “I don’t think I shall
ever be able to face Society again.” She was recalling the slights in her
childhood because of her parents. This recent incident only enforced her
insecurity.

“Oh, yes, you will face them,” Agatha said firmly,
holding Jane’s chin in two chubby hands. “You were never afraid of anything
before, why now? This will only make you stronger.”

“We will be there,” Lizzie vowed.

“Yes, we will,” Briana added firmly, handing Jane her
handkerchief.

Emily’s violet eyes flashed. “You are a Clearbrook, no
matter what anyone says.”

Jane’s emotions bubbled to the surface. “I am not certain
if Roderick still loves me.”

“Of course, he loves you,” Lizzie put in. “The man
simply adores you.”

Jane blew her nose. If Roderick still loved her, why
had he acted so angry with her this morning?

 “You did not tell him about the baby, did you?”
Agatha said, accusingly.

Jane wiped her eyes. “I tried. And yes, I was afraid
he might tell me to stop seeing Mrs. Hobbs. But today, when I wanted to talk
about the baby, he stopped me cold.”

Emily sighed. “He is afraid he will lose you if you
become with child.”

Jane looked up through watery eyes. “Many women die in
childbirth. I am no one special.” She blew her nose again. “But I want this
baby, and no one is going to stop me.”

“We were never going to stop you,” Briana said,
smiling. “I suppose, neither is Roderick. I think what Emily is trying to say,
is that Roderick loves you too much to lose you, even it means not having a
baby.”

“We are man and wife,” Jane said, her spine stiffening.
“I already told him if I died birthing his child, it would be worth it. Only God
knows when it’s our time to die. Dying in childbirth is not something I would
like to happen, but I cannot stop death.” She put a hand to her stomach. “And I
will certainly not stop life.”

“We understand,” Lizzie said. “In fact, I am with
child as well. And I am not saying a thing for a few months. Stephen can get
rather protective sometimes.”

Briana giggled. “I am with child and keeping it quiet
too. Same reasons.”

Eyes twinkling, Agatha looked at Emily. “What about
you?”

Emily laughed. “Not definite yet.”

Jane erupted into laughter. “How delightful. All the
cousins can play together.”

“But first we must make this legal,” Emily said,
smiling. “What about tomorrow?”

Agatha frowned. “The men are to leave tonight.”

Jane peered at Lizzie and Briana. They hadn’t
flinched. They must have known something about Roderick and Jared’s journey to
France.

Emily scowled. “Well, Roderick will just have to stay
another night. That’s all there is to it. We cannot rush something like this.”

Lizzie’s blue eyes widened. “I daresay, Emily. I think
rush is exactly what we are doing.”

Jane threw her hands in the air. “Does it matter?”

“Have you truly tried explaining the baby to
Roderick,” Emily asked concerned. “How can the man not understand the words,
‘I
am having your baby?
’”

Jane frowned. “Explaining anything to Roderick is
almost impossible. I may have held back a few times because I was afraid of
what he might say. However, if I could have him in this room for a few minutes,
I am certain this can be taken care of in a simple conversation.”

There was a commotion at the door. All the ladies
turned when footsteps thundered down the hall.

“It sounds like an army,” Lizzie exclaimed.

Jane’s eyes rounded. “I believe Roderick is home. I,
uh, also have a feeling it is more than Roderick. I had news that the king was
coming today.”

“The king!” the ladies said in unison, shifting their
shocked gazes back toward her.

Agatha’s lips twisted. “Heard the news as well.” She
cleared her throat when the ladies continued to stare at her. “Now, now, do not
get excited. The man and I go way back. And you must remember, Roderick and
this family were a great asset to England in the war. The king will only add his
blessing to this marriage, which will make the new license all the more valid.
And while he is here, the king can set the tongues wagging about someone in the
Home Office making some stupid mistake. This little error will not be blamed on
Jane or the duke at all.”

Jane pinched her cheeks to add some color to her
appearance. “Do you think the gossip will eventually die down?”

Agatha grabbed her parasol. “I will make it so. And to
stop Society from bothering you, no one need know of the child until it is
born. While Roderick is away, you can live with me. Emily and the children are
coming too. And have no worries about Mrs. Hobbs. I will see that Captain
Argyle takes a place near Hemmingly Hall for the next few months.”

Jane’s jaw dropped. “I don’t think—”

Agatha raised her hand. “Do not worry. I will make
certain your baby comes into the world safe and secure. Roderick will change
his tune in more ways than one. You will see.”

Jane wanted to tell her that Roderick would never
change. Once the man set his mind to something, he was immovable.

But before Jane could speak, Agatha marched toward the
door just as Roderick whipped it opened. They collided.  

Agatha would have fallen to the ground if Roderick had
not caught her.

“Madam, you should watch where you are going.”

Agatha’s gray eyes narrowed. “La, take your hands off
me.”

Roderick’s cheeks turned pink. “I beg your forgiveness
for not seeing you. But if you would not have rushed out of the room in such a
huff, I would have seen you.”

Agatha whacked him with her parasol. “You are an
impudent pup. Now go in and see Jane!”

Roderick peered across the room. He stared at the
ladies, then rested his glittering gray eyes on Jane. After a few tense
seconds, he shifted a narrowed gaze back to Agatha. “You know then?”

Agatha pushed him into the drawing room. “Mercy, you
fool! Everyone in England knows! Now, do your duty and propose properly! You
don’t have much time!”

J
ane watched as a red-faced Roderick walked into
the drawing room. Her sisters-in-law sat before him, glaring in silence.

Jane almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.

“We expect you to do right by her,” Emily finally
hissed, shooting from her seat.

Briana and Lizzie rose as well. They flashed him condemning
frowns and retreated from the room.

Jane swallowed and could barely look at him.

“So,” Roderick said, as the door banged closed. “I
suppose we are going to have to marry again.”

Jane’s head snapped up. “You suppose?”

“Well, yes.” He threw his hands behind his back and
clasped them together. Wavy black hair hung over his forehead, and his gray
eyes glittered with purpose.

Jane wanted to box his ears. He stood there, acting as
if he were performing some duty. She yearned to hold him, but his body language
was absurd. She was no mere servant who worked for him. She was his wife!

“From the looks of things,” he continued calmly. “I
can only deduce you have heard the news. Our license was not legal when we
married. In essence, our marriage was not, is not, valid.”

“And whose fault is that?” she asked, her fury growing.
There was no word of love. No apologies. No shame or regret at what happened.

He started pacing in front of the sofa. “I fail to see
how placing the blame on anyone matters. It is what it is.”

Jane tried to control her temper, but screams of
frustration began to build inside her. “So, do you want to marry me again, or
not?”

He halted and glared at her. “Of course, I want to
marry you again. Why would you ask such a silly question?”

Well, she thought, there were many reasons why. But at
the moment, she had no wish to get into that.

She spread a hand over her gown and looked up. “Can we
have children?”

A muscle flicked along his jawline. It took him a few
seconds to answer. “We can adopt if you would like.”

“I might like that,” she said, smiling. “But I would
like to have my own children too.”

He sliced a hand in the air. “Impossible.”

She laughed. Oh, was he going to be surprised. “Roderick,
it is not impossible.”

He drew in a breath and let it out. “You know what I
mean.”

“Yes, I do. And last night was wonderful.”

His gaze softened as he looked at her. She blushed.

He turned and walked toward the window. “Having a baby
might kill you,” he said sharply. “I have no wish … that is, I hope … well,
confound it. You know what I mean!”

She rose from the sofa and walked up behind him,
putting a hand on his arm. “Oh, darling, death is something we all have to face
some day. But truly, I am not as fragile as I seem.”

He glared out the window. Beneath her hand, she felt
him stiffen. The musky scent of his cologne reached her, making her recall the
carefree days they had shared at the beginning of their marriage.  

He cleared his throat. “The doctors in London
said—”

She tugged on his arm, stopping him. “Those doctors do
not know everything. I met with Captain Argyle’s servant, Mrs. Hobbs. I think I
mentioned her before. Well, she believes Chinese medicine could help me carry a
baby until it is born. She has some herbs that could help, and of course, other
treatments. Oh, and you will be pleased that the other doctor I have been
seeing, Mr. Hillside—”

She frowned. “Roderick? Are you paying attention to
anything I have been saying?”

“I am,” he said through clenched teeth.

Disappointment swept through her. He had already made
his decision. “Whether you like it or not, I am willing to do anything to have
a healthy baby.”

He spun around and stared at her as if she had three
heads.

“Roderick,” she said, her voice cracking. “Say
something.”

His hands fisted at his sides. After a few seconds, he
exploded. “I will not have you spending time with Argyle or his servant. Do I
make myself perfectly clear, madam?”

Jane staggered back as the hope inside her began to
die. “Why?”

“I forbid it, that’s why!”

“You forbid it?”

“Yes, and furthermore, if I see you talking to Captain
Argyle again, I will be having more than a word with him!”

Anger got the best of her. “Whatever is the matter
with you? The man has been my friend. Did you know he took care of me when I
fainted on the walk the other day? In fact, the man has done many wonderful
things for me that would take too long to mention.”

“The man is in love with you.” The words were said
with such condemnation she wanted to scream.

“How could you be so cruel? He has offered the
services of Mrs. Hobbs for our benefit, so we can have a healthy baby. Our
baby, Roderick! Frankly, your behavior astounds me.”

 “Our baby?” His laugh was hard. “A duchess does
not venture to a single man’s home to obtain treatments for a…a baby! You are
naïve if you think otherwise.”

“I am not naive!”

His face was grim. “You will not have anything to do
with the captain and that is final!”

How could a man as smart as Roderick be so thick in the
head? “I never ventured to the captain’s house,” she said calmly. “Mrs. Hobbs can
come to me.”

She didn’t need to say that Mrs. Hobbs had already
been giving her treatments by coming up the back stairs when Roderick was on
his daily ride. Or that Jane had been having the cook boil the herbs Mrs. Hobbs
had given her, and she was taking them every day.

“No,” Roderick snapped.

She flinched at Roderick’s unyielding tone. “What do
you mean, no? No captain? No Mrs. Hobbs? Or no baby? Because I can tell you,
the baby part is not a decision at this point.”

“No, there will be no Captain Argyle. No, there will
be no Mrs. Hobbs. And no, there will be no baby. Do I make myself perfectly
clear?”

She almost laughed out loud. For once in his life, he
would find his orders could not, would not, be followed. “Ha, and what if I do
not agree? There are some things you cannot control.”

“You are my wife. I am the duke.”

But she was not his wife now.

With a sudden pang, she knew that if she did not clear
up some things in their past, their marriage would never be right. She had to
know where Roderick stood, even if it hurt.

“Does this have something to do with Cecile,” she asked.
“The lady you loved before me?”

He seemed stunned by her question. His face lost a bit
of color. “This has nothing to do with Cecile.”

The thought he might still love Cecile, even now, made
her chest ache. “But you loved her,” she accused. “You still love her.”

His knuckles turned white as he made a fist. “I don’t
want to talk about Cecile.”

“You admit it, then. She was your true love.”

“Oh, for the love of the king. Will you listen to me?”
He grabbed her hands, pulling them toward his chest.

Her heart fluttered at his touch. “I want your baby,
Roderick.”

He sighed. “I know this is hard on you. But
sweetheart, you must trust me. I know better of these matters than you.”

Before Jane could reply, the door burst open.

“Ah, there you are!” an older man called to Roderick,
his voice booming across the room.

Jane turned and her jaw dropped. The gold embellished
cape, the stiff cravat, the tight pantaloons, the shiny Hessians, and the
purple waistcoat belonged only to one man. Good gracious! She had completely
forgotten about the king!

“Eh, and this is your lovely bride,” the king announced
with a tinkle of laughter as he gazed her way. “A minor distraction, my dear.
We will take care of this matter entirely. Not to worry.”

The king strode into the room, his multi-caped coat billowing
behind him.

“Your Majesty,” Jane said, giving him a deep curtsy.
But her chest felt as if it were going to burst. This entire day was her worst
nightmare. Should she mention the baby again? Perhaps the king would have
better luck talking to her thickheaded husband.

“Get up, get up, little lady.” The king motioned her
to sit on the sofa. “Ah, the duke always caught the pretty ones. But curse you,
Roderick. I forgot how much prettier this lady is, much prettier than that
Wimble chit. Filled out some too.”

Jane’s biting blue eyes shifted to Roderick’s face. Wimble
chit, indeed, she thought angrily.

Roderick cleared his throat.

The king sat beside her and took her hands in his. “Now,
my dear. Tell me. You will marry this rogue, will you not? This entire mess
makes the peerage look quite untamed, don’t you know?”

Jane’s tongue became a wad of cotton. This was unbelievable!

Roderick stood over them. “I was just explaining the
situation to Jane when you entered.”

Jane gave the king a trembling smile. “Indeed, he was,
Your Majesty.”

The king looked at Jane and pursed his lips in
appreciation, his eyes traveling from her head to her blue kid slippers.
“George, my dear. You must call me George.”

“George?” Roderick replied, frowning.

The king’s head snapped up. “No, no, not you! I would
like the little lady to say my name. Jupiter, Roderick, her eyes are as blue as
the sea. Like jewels, I tell you.” He squeezed her hands. “Now, call me by my
Christian name, my sweet.”

Jane clenched her teeth and smiled. “George,” she said,
her sugary voice almost making her ill.

The king’s face beamed with pleasure. He lifted his
gaze and winked at Roderick. “Rather like it from her berry lips. Sounds
enticing, don’t it?”

The king patted her hands and chuckled. “Yes, indeed. Right
pretty wife you have here, Elbourne.” He erupted into laughter. “Wife, eh? She
ain’t your wife though. Are you, my dear?”

Jane lifted a pleading gaze toward Roderick. If this man
were not the king, she would leave him and walk out.

Roderick’s eyes glittered with amusement. “Jane, the
king has brought along a special license so we can marry tomorrow. I can stay
an extra day to get this done. Then I am off to France.”

Jane bristled. Was Roderick laughing at her now?

“That’s right, my girl,” the king declared. “Make it
right and tight. No more worries.” He let go of her hands and swirled his palm in
the air. “I shall make some monumental proclamation that will outshine all this
gossip. Mark my words. You will be sought after at all the parties in London.
What say you to that, my sweet?” He puffed out his chest like a peacock.

Jane smiled again. Things were getting more
complicated by the minute. “I thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.”

“George,” he declared.

“George,” she said, tipping her lips upward. Her face
was so tight from smiling, she thought it might break.

The king breathed a sigh of relief and scowled at
Roderick. “Well, man, get on your knees and propose. You are English, are you
not?”

Roderick pressed his lips together in annoyance. “I think
I can do this by myself.”

The king sighed. “I know. I know. But I rather like
the romance. Go on, man. Do your thing.”

Jane watched in shock as Roderick got down on one knee
and took her hands in his. “Will you marry me Jane?”

Jane wanted to gnash her teeth. He was only doing this
because the king told him to. “Why?” she asked sweetly.

The king roared with laughter. “Got you there. Ha,
knew she was a smart one.”

Two spots of red appeared on Roderick’s cheeks. But
Jane wanted this done right. The fire in those smoky gray eyes did nothing to
deter her. If she had to have the king as a spectator to her proposal, then so
be it.

Roderick brought her fingers to his lips. “Because, I
love you, that’s why.”

Her heart gave a sudden leap. Ah, she thought, nicely
done.

It was like a tennis match as the king shifted a
curious gaze back to her, waiting for her reply.

She didn’t disappoint. “And that’s it? What about
babies?”

The king blushed. “Curse me, my boy, the lady is a
bold one! Perhaps I should take her for myself!”

Roderick grasped Jane around her waist and leaned into
her, acting like a besotted lover. “What the devil do you think you are doing?”
he whispered.

She bit her lip. “I want a full life,” she whispered
back.

“With or without me?” he growled.

She dared to glare at him. “That depends.”

“Now, now, no secrets until you are married,” the king
said, laughing. He pulled them apart. “Well, well, what’s the verdict, little
lady? Are we going to have a wedding tomorrow or not? I am sorry to say, there
won’t be a honeymoon. No holiday tour afterwards, eh?” He yelped in unexpected
glee. “Of course, you had the cart before the horse already, did you not?”